Tonight, I thought my husband was acting weird. We had made plans to meet at a nice restaurant for dinner. I was shopping with my friends all day long, so I thought he was upset at the fact that I was a bit late, but he made no comment on it. Conversation wasn't flowing, so I suggested that we go somewhere quiet so we could talk. He agreed, but he didn't say much.

I asked him what was wrong; He said, 'Nothing..' I asked him if it was my fault that he was upset. He said he wasn't upset, that it had nothing to do with me, and not to worry about it. On the way home, I told him that I loved him. He smiled slightly, and kept driving. I can't explain his behavior. I don't know why he didn't say, 'I love you, too.'

When we got home, I felt as if I had lost him completely, as if he wanted nothing to do with me anymore. He just sat there quietly, and watched TV. He continued to seem distant and absent. Finally, with silence all around us, I decided to go to bed. About 15 minutes later, he came to bed. But I still felt that he was distracted, and his thoughts were somewhere else. He fell asleep; I cried. I don't know what to do. I'm almost sure that his thoughts are with someone else. My life is a disaster......

I'm going to make a really broad generalization. But the evidence is pretty substantial.

Men do not like to admit their failings. "Sharing" is not an ingrained concept. Getting a man to admit vulnerabilities is painful and is like pulling teeth.

When men bring up a problem they are looking for advice on how to solve it.

Women talk about everything. They are socializing and bonding. When they mention a problem they are making conversation and letting off stream. They do not give a rat's ass if they solve the problem since it gives them a topic of conversation and are not seeking or listening to advice.

If women want advice they specifically ask for it.

This drives men nuts. Men instinctively offer advice when they hear a problem, they view problems as something you solve. Women take almost willful delight in reciting the same problem periodically while making no effort to change it.
The pattern is:
1. Woman relates problem to man in passing in a conversation.
2. Man offers advice.
3. Woman ignores advice.
4. Go to 1.